Monday, June 30, 2014

Self tanning is in full swing over here and one of my top brands from last year has two new formulas out to make us bronzed beauties.

New from Vita Liberata are pHenomenal 2-3 Week Tan Lotion and Rapid 4-7 Day Tan Mousse.

The brand is rightly prized for being fast drying , long wearing and having no scent. All those are true here with the new ones , but both of these are even faster drying than previous ones. Kind of too fast , as you need some time to work with it to get blended before it sets. So I've taken to mixing in a small amount of body lotion for more slip and blendability. I've done this several times with no change to the how the self tanner works.

The 2-3 Week Tan Lotion is just that , a semi thick lotion with a deep bronze tint. The Dark shade has an even deeper tint, which looks pretty awesome on my pale legs.

I have yet to manage to find the time for 2 or 3 consecutive applications that are supposed to give you that 2-3 week wear , but with one application I do get a long lasting tan . I get long wear with the Rapid 4-7 Day Mousse as well , so either one of these gets that job done.

The Vita Liberata tanners all have a deep bronzer built in so you have color right off. When that's rinsed off you have a light tan , not super dark, but just a nice color with Medium lotion, darker with Dark lotion. Obviously each application if done in succession will give more color. Each comes with it's own mitt as well.

I am a huge fan of Maybelline's Color Tattoo eyeshadows . They last really well on me , they're super easy to apply for a fast look, and they come in loads of colors I love ( I used Antique Gold to the bottom, which is rare ).

The Leather Collection is a new line within Color Tattoo. There are five new shades, two are Deep Forest and Creamy Beige.

All are meant to invoke the look of leather, with it's smooth surface, except for Chocolate Suede which has shimmer.

Deep Forest is not really that dark, but more medium , muted green and to me that makes it even more wearable. It looks more like a neutral and makes a great slightly smokey eye for Summer. Come Fall it'll be perfect as well, as would all the new colors.

Creamy Beige is a basic brown, easy to wear . I like it on it's own for a touch of color during the day when I have to worry about makeup melt , and I also use as a base under powder shadows. Layering gives more staying power .

Friday, June 27, 2014

Color Show has Veils and Jewels hitting shelves . These two lines are full of pretty , sparkly shades with Veils as top coats, Jewels as color or top coat.

Teal Beam, Crystal Disguise, Rose Mirage

The Color Show Veils have tiny glitter particles for a more subtle shimmer. I think they're quite pretty and am really liking Teal Beam and Crystal Disquise which gives a tinted iridescence with a hint of aqua to your main nail color. There are five shades available. The two Veils shown below are over a random yellow color.

Crystal Disguise,Rose Mirage

Color Show Jewels come in five shades with larger pieces of flecks and glitter . These are a party on your nails.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Big news from Clinique - they are bringing out their own power cleansing brush system.

The Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush is a brand new cleansing brush designed with help from Clinique advisors Drs. David & Catherine Orentreich.

This new brush is made to give a very gentle but thorough cleansing. It has two types of brushes, the green at the top are shorter and firmer for pesky T Zone pores. The rest are softer and for the rest of the face. The Oval shape helps get that brush tip in the harder to clean areas like the nose.

There is a 30 second shut off and the unit comes with a charging stand. One full charge lasts 3 hours with or without use and has a nice , narrow narrow profile unit for storage.

So you might be wondering how this compares to the other top brand out there? I have a Mia , and I think that Clinique's brush is little bit gentler with a bit less strong vibration. That's fine by me as I am the rare one that's that not really into heavy power brush cleansing in general and gentle usually is better for skin .

The bristles here are also very soft feeling on skin and The Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush gets the job done well.

Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush is $ 89.50 and will be on Clinique.com June 30th .

Are you ready to talk Fall ? I know it's hot as you know what , but Fall makeup is slowly rolling out. Call is advance planning.

These three new Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks from Chanel Collection Etats Poetiques have the look of the season , with it's falling leaves and a move to deeper, Autumn colors.Intime is is a soft wash of pink, Confident a medium rose brown and Aura a plum.

They all share the lovely Rouge Coco Shine semi sheer formula, but Aura has a tendency to slip/ skip on the lip just a bit .

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine lipstick is $ 35 and the Fall collection is on counter now.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

As women we all share some things without question, one of them is dealing with that " time of the month". That time brings many things, generally less than fun, uncomfortable things including ruining a perfectly good pair of underwear, sometimes a really expensive pair.

I realize that while it may not be the greatest convo to have, all of us probably have dealt with the same thing . U by Kotex knows this and has brought out new 3D Capture Core Protection pads to help you and your undergarments feel and stay cleaner and lock away wetness ( and it does work). They call it Save The Undies .

After all it's the time of year when a certain Victoria is having her ( it's ?) semi annual sale. You definitely want to save those undies, right ? And you want to wear them whenever you want even with white shorts, not toss them aside once every month for old, ratty pairs .

If you're wondering whether the new 3D Capture Core will work for you, how about a free sample ? Sign uphere at U by Kotexand you'll get your choice of a multi sample pack .

I am in stockpiling mode for lightweight Summer skincare. My skin gets so oily/perspires that I need almost nothing when it's hot. But I want to use something to help keep my skin in good shape .

L'Occitane's new Hydra Vital Gel is a gel formula that feels refreshing and light on , but adds a nice hit of moisture . Just enough basically. For normal to oily skins it's a great hot weather product. If you have dry skin, it would not be enough. The gel has organic Angelica from France to help skin retain moisture and has a slight cooling effect on skin when applied. It's not sticky , sinking right in and has a nice scent ,slightly citrus and herb but not strong.

While not as important as the product itself, the green and silver jar looks pretty sitting on the vanity as well. A touch of Provencal chic for Summer. Tres Belle.

Monday, June 23, 2014

I went right for the deep , green shades in the 3.1 Phillip Lim for NARS collection.

Insidious is my favorite, is a deep bronze brown tinged with black that has flashes of gold. Fabulous and the one shade that is available only at NARS boutiques and online.

Shutter is a deep green , very dark but still not as dark as my nail swatch seems to look. NARS calls it a deep sea green, which is spot on. Both apply full pigment with two coats and one gives decent coverage even.

Note too, that NARS nail polishes have some new changes . The brush is now thicker and flatter for better application and the top square cap comes off . The formula is thicker, applies with less streaks and is simply better than previous incarnations.

3.1 Phillip Lim for NARS is available July 15th at NARS online and boutiques, August 1st at Sephora/Department stores. $ 20 each.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Dr.Scholl's classic sandals are having a moment again, as are all more utilitarian sandals. While never totally out of style, we haven't seen them much for many a year. I remember one of the last "in" times, late '90s when I got a bright blue jelly pair. They were fun and I still have them.

For 2014 , Dr. Scholls has partnered with Steven Alan for a small capsule collection. There is a bright lacquer white slide and a blue chambray with ankle strap .

I rather like that all white , it will really set off a great pedicure color .

They are available at www.stevenalan.com with prices from $100- $ 145 ( but I'm a bit behind in posting this, so some are sold out online. )

If these styles aren't your thing but you love the brand, you can find many more colors etc. at places like Shoes.com and Zappos.

Friday, June 20, 2014

We're going off topic today, talking food . It's not everyday a friend writes a book , let alone a second book, so this is all about Baltimore Chef's Table- Extraordinary Recipes from Charm City and the Surrounding Counties.

My dear friend Kathy Patterson writes the popular Baltimore based food blog Minx Eats , where she talks recipes, restaurants and more. She is a true foodie as well as being a perfumista and beauty lover, which is how we met and cemented our friendship.

Kathy and her husband Neal have written their second book after The Food Lover's Guide to Baltimore. This one features recipes from some of the best restaurants in Baltimore along with a look at the restaurants themselves , area farms that provide local product and chef interviews.

The book is a delight , and yes of course I am biased, but when I see the book and remember the emails etc, all winter with Kathy, I realize just how hard it is to write a book , let alone one that captures your attention and taste buds with mouthwatering pictures and descriptions of the food. The photos of Baltimore itself and the restaurant interiors have me ready for a road trip.

Most think crab when they think Maryland , and Baltimore, and rightly so. Best crabcakes I ever had were from there. While there are some delicious looking crab recipes like Cajun Crab Linguine and Crab Dip Two Ways , Kathy and Neal highlight the city's wide array of dining options well beyond seafood .

I couldn't help but gravitate towards the dessert pages . Bourbon Bread Pudding is one I need to try, while Sweet Potato Cheesecake sounds unusual but definitely tasty.

Baltimore Chef's Table is a cookbook, as well as tour guide, taking you throughout the neighborhoods of Baltimore as well as the Eastern Shore . It's a great pick if you love to "read" cookbooks as I do, as well as find new recipes.

Find it at Amazon for $ 18.27 and visit the Facebook page for updates including signings if you happen to be in the area.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Skinceuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 goes down as one of my top face SPF products. It's undetectable and perfect for all skin types including us oily gals.

This year the company has new version just for the delicate eye area-Physical Eye UV Defense SPF 50. It's been opthamologist tested and has the highest eye protect SPF on the market. Skinceuticals says it's an "all-mineral sunscreen formula that doesn’t use water, which prevents the product from migrating into the eyes. It is developed with a universal tint to unify skin tone under the eye and provides an optimal base, priming for smoother makeup application. "

While I haven't yet tried this in person, I am assuming it's more protective and not an eye cream. I am thinking the moisture level will be low, but again I can't say for sure. Either way, it's great to see more eye SPF products coming out.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Shiseido's new Face Color Enhancing Trio wants to help you get your blush on as well as brighten up a bit.

These new trios have a blush color , then a sculpting and highlighting shade. The last two are very soft and will not leave harsh color or lines should you use them as light contour. The blush here, I have the OR 1 Peach trio , is not as bold as it looks . In real life it's far less deep than my picture, leaning more peach . It's a pretty combo , as most of them look to be .

With this I am swirling them all together or using mainly the blush color. The other two shades balance and soften the orange/peach and make a nice , light, blended blush. The bottom two shades also make a nice all over face color.

These come is a long, rectangular compact with a brush and mirror and when you swirl a brush in , there is a good bit of powder dust up.
The four trios are :

Monday, June 16, 2014

One of these is Muse, a very deep coral red. This is definitely not for shy, this lip color is super bold with intense pigment. I have to admit it's even giving this coral lip lover some pause. But it is beautiful and the color of Summer.

If you haven't tried Extreme Sheen before, these are almost a liquid lipstick . They have sheen but not high gloss and a thicker than most gloss formula. You get full, lightly hydrating coverage with one swipe of the wand .